The History of Halloween

The earliest known use of the word "Halloween" was in the 16th century, spelled "Hallowe'en," a Scottish variant of "All Hallows Eve," the night before All Hallows Day (November 1), better known today as All Saints' Day.

Western Christians commemorate the dead on All Souls' Day (November 2). In Mexico and Latin America, this coincides with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Origins of Halloween

Some folklorists have detected Halloween's origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia.

But Halloween is more typically linked to the Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, or "summer's end," which celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half." It was popularized in the late 19th century as the "Celtic New Year."

How trick-or-treating started

Aside from the costumes originally meant to scare away spirits, this tradition is believed to have originated from English All Souls' Day parades, during which the poor begged for food and received pastries called "soul cakes."

In return, the poor prayed for the giver's dead relatives, believing that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage from Purgatory to heaven.

About Us

The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Bright House Networks' parent, Charter Communications Operating, LLC.